This page was originally written for the For Argyll local news website and is included here unchanged.

On Tuesday 23rd February the Seil Natural History Group held a recording field trip in Glen Gallain, between Kilninver and Kilmelford.  Despite the frosty conditions we had a good turnout of 10 people.  All are welcome on these outings which take place once a month and are described here. 

The object of our visit was a mixed wood of hazel and birch with some ash.  Fortunately for us it was on a south-facing slope bathed in sunshine which had melted most of the snow, while on the opposite bank the ground was white and conditions a lot more gloomy.  The picture shows the two sides of the valley, with the ice-covered River Gallain in the dip.

The hazel was of particular interest owing to the rich lichen flora that thrives in Scottish west coast Hazelwoods.  These woods are of international importance and contain many lichens that are rare on a world scale.  The lichens, together with abundant mosses and liverworts, are able to flourish in this "Celtic Rainforest" due to the pollution-free air and the humid conditions resulting from a wet climate with mild winters and cool summers.  There is a good article about Atlantic Hazelwoods here.

The weather had been exceptionally cold and dry for some time and many of the lichens had a paler appearance than normal.  They soon recover their colours after a spot of rain.

Hazel continually puts up new shoots from its base, and these are initially colonised by thin crustose lichens which wrap around the bark and are hardly noticeable unless you’re looking for them.  In a good Atlantic Hazelwood, the young stems are completely covered with these crustose lichens, and there is no bare bark to be seen.

The left-hand picture shows the map effect formed by the various crustose lichens on a young hazel stem, with dark borders where two lichens meet.  The one with black bobbles (perithecia) on an orange-brown background is Pyrenula occidentalis.  The one above it to the right, with squiggly black lines on a white background, is Graphis scripta, the Script Lichen, so-called because it looks like handwriting.  The one with a greenish tinge below the Graphis and to the right of the Pyrenula is probably Pertusaria leioplaca.  The lichen community of smooth hazel stems is known as the Graphidion (after Graphis scripta, one of its main components)

In the second picture we see the next stage in the colonisation of the stem.  Small snaky liverworts are able to cling to the smooth surface, and grow over the crustose lichens.  This one is Frullania dilatata.  It has made its way across a patch of Thelotrema petractoides and a probable Arthonia species, and is about to invade a fine patch of Graphis scripta.  When the hazel stem has a good covering of liverworts like these, it presents a rougher surface on which more robust species can get a foothold.

The next stage is often dominated by Mousetail (Isothecium myosuroides), the green moss at the top of this picture.  The red liverwort to its right is Frullania teneriffae, a specialist of Atlantic woods.  These provide the kind of surface on which foliose (leafy) lichens can begin to grow, as Sticta sylvatica is doing here.  This belongs to a community of leafy lichens known as the Lobarion.  Most species in this community contain a cyanobacterium rather than a green alga like the majority of other lichens, and this accounts for their grey or brown appearance in contrast to the pale blue-green colour typical of lichens in most woods.  As well as providing food from photosynthesis, the cyanobacterial partner enables the lichen to obtain nitrogen from the air.

The Lobarion is the glory of Atlantic woodlands, and is named after the four Lobaria species which occur there.  The left-hand picture shows two of these, the bluish-grey Lobaria scrobiculata at the top, and the green Lobaria pulmonaria (Tree Lungwort) below it.  L pulmonaria does have a green alga, hence its colour, but it also contains pockets of cyanobacteria.  In this picture both lichens have their "wet" colours; it must have been a particularly humid spot.

On the right is a famous Lobarion lichen, Pseudocyphellaria crocata (Yellow Specklebelly) which is unusual in having the interior fungal hyphae yellow rather than white.  This can be seen in eroded areas on the surface, from which small fragments of fungus and alga break off to reproduce.

As the hazel stems mature they can develop a luxurious growth of these leafy lichens, a sight familiar enough to us in Argyll but unknown in many parts of the country.  From left to right here we have the grey Degelia atlantica, the brown Peltigera collina, and a very dry-looking Lobaria pulmonaria.

The Graphidion lichens are almost completely obscured by this stage, but because hazel continuously puts up new stems there is always a supply of these for them to migrate to.  The succession of Lobarion lichens is equally assured, as by the time the old stems die and fall over, other stems will have become ready for colonisation.  A hazel in a state of nature has stems of all ages on the go at any one time.

When old hazel stems die they are often host to the fungus Stereum rugosum (Pink Curtain Crust) which looks rather like a lichen but has no algal component.

The right-hand photo above shows how the Common Dog Lichen (Peltigera membranacea) got its name – the white rhizines on its lower surface are supposed to resemble dogs’ teeth, and for this reason it was once used to treat rabies.  It was on Hazel but is not a member of the Lobarion; it will grow in any damp shady place and is often found on disturbed ground such as beside forestry tracks.

Hazel also provides a vital food supply for many birds and animals.  Here a wood mouse has been tucking into its hoard of nuts, one of several such feeding-places we found in the wood.  You can tell that the holes are the work of wood mice by the tooth marks being on the outer edge only.

There was also a lot of birch in the wood, a tree with a completely different suite of lichens to hazel.  One of the commonest is Hypotrachyna laevigata, looking rather dry here and bearing fruits (apothecia) which are not all that common in this species.  It too is a specialist of Atlantic woods but prefers the acid bark of birch to the more alkaline hazel bark.  The broadly rounded sinuses between the lobes are characteristic of it.

We did find one mature birch with a thick growth of mosses that had been colonised by several Lobarion species, presumably able to ignore the acid nature of the bark as they were sufficiently removed from it by the moss cover.  They included this Leptogium burgessii with its red fruits (apothecia), and the tiny orange lichen Dimerella lutea (Tinned Apricots) of which the fruits are the only visible part.  Must admit they look more like tinned apricots when they’re wet as the pale rim of the "tin" then shows better.

A glimpse of the woodland floor with Teddy Bear Moss (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus) and frosted hazel leaves.

Twelve members assembled at the north end of Loch Oude in a small car park, next to the bridge for our walk to Melfort.  The track started directly from the car park and led south through Raera Forest towards Melfort, a distance of about two and a half miles. There are good views of Loch Oude from the track and several burns at the side which run into the dam.  There was also a bench located at one of these points, good for a rest and quiet reflection.

Further on there were several small controlled dams which also feed the loch, which in turn feed the Power Station at Kilmelfort.  At one of these stops we found the Hard-shield Fern a new species addition, and a good find. 

Amongst the Sitka Spruce and other conifers we found areas of European Larch (Larix decidua). The European Larch is a quick growing tree, capable of reaching 130ft(40m). Being deciduous it is often treated as a honorary broadleaf to provide diversity in conifer plantations.  These trees provided an opportunity to see some of the target forest birds we were hoping for, and through the calls we were fortunate to find three Common Crossbills, including a male and several Coal Tits. 

The hill above the village of Melfort known as An Sithean (Hill of the Fairies) holds a cave of  archaeological interest. The Celts are thought to have believed in fairies and the cave and hill could have had mystical meaning. There are many other sites in Argyll with the same name indicating this could have been common practice.

The blasting operations of the Hydro Board in 1956 exposed a cave  halfway up the hill which was subsequently excavated by the University of Edinburgh’s Department of Archaeology. Several hundred flint and quartz artifacts were recovered as well as a few scraps of teeth and charcoal fragments which date back to the period approximately 5000 BC and represent the debris of a temporary seasonal occupation by a hunting or a gathering group. Unfortunately the blasting has covered the occupation debris largely at the cave entrance, immediately outside it where most of the activities would have taken place, i.e. butchering, cooking and eating, working of tools and equipment.

We stopped for our lunch at a picnic table, taking in the wonderful views down Loch Melfort. Once fed and watered we continued towards Melfort following the hydro pipe down the hill and eventually some steps to the bottom.  In summer this is an excellent location for the Scotch Argus butterfly. 

Kilmelfort Hydro-electric Power Station was commissioned in 1956 and is now owned by Scottish and Southern Energy. It was built by the North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board to supply the communities of the Highlands. These plants were built in several "schemes" of linked stations, each covering a catchment area whereby the same water can generate power several times as it descends, thus providing an early source of renewable energy !!

Approaching Melfort we discovered this new lichen below Cladonia floerkeana with its red pycnidia. The podetia in this species are very distinctive and tall. They have been recorded as high as 60 mm although the norm is in the range 10 mm to 30 mm high, with a diameter of 1.5 mm. Podetia may be branched at the tips; branching is more frequent at the base near the small primary squamules (8mm long). Coarse squamules cover podetia. Apothecia form on the rim of the tip of the podetia; these are common and are light to dark brown in colour. Red pycnidia also form on the tips of the podetia.

We visited Melfort shop and discovered some interesting facts about the site prior to its present use as a time share village.  Melfort was an ideal location for the manufacture of gunpowder and was not only secluded, but had a deep water pier and plentiful supplies of scrub oak. To understand the advantage of these features, one needs to have a quick look at the actual manufacture of the black powder as it was practiced at Melfort. The first stage was preparing the raw materials by refining the salt-petre and sulphur, manufacturing the charcoal from the oak scrub and then pulverising the ingredients separately and mixing them in required proportions. The gunpowder was then incorporated by mechanically grinding and crushing the ingredients into an intimate mixture. At this stage the gunpowder was in the form of a damp paste known as "miilcake" This was pressed in hard slate-like sheets of press cake corned or formed into grains of various sizes, dusted, glazed and finally dried. Charcoal was the variable factor in the composition and its preparation involved selection of the wood to be used and control of the burning process. The traditional method of charring wood in stacks made excellent charcoal for fuel, but the product was too impure and uneven as an ingredient of gunpowder. A new method of distilling wood in sealed retorts was therefore developed in the late 18th century. Coppices were planted around powder mills to supply the necessary wood salt-petre in the form of fine crystals which could be used straight from the refinery, but the charcoal and sulphur had to be pulverised. This was done traditionally in crushing mills with stone-edged runners rolling upon a circular bedstone, and in the 19th century machines similar to giant coffee grinders were introduced for pulverising charcoal. The powdered ingredients were each believed to ensure uniformity to remove any gritty particles which might cause an explosion during manufacture. The salt-petre, charcoal and sulphur were then weighed out normally in the proportions of 75 /75 /70 and mixed in a revolving drum to produce the green charge for the incorporating mills. Incorporating mills with stone-edged runners were introduced in Britain in the early 18th century. The charge was moistened and kept damp throughout the incorporating process which lasted for about 2 hours for common blasting powder, and 8 hours or more for the finest sporting grades. Production was continuous with the workforce operating a shift system. In the 19th century steam engines and later water turbines were introduced to drive incorporating mills and other equipment, the remnants of which are still evident at Melfort. Improvements were made in the design and this enabled a larger charge to be processed. Pressing the "millcake" to increase its specific gravity was introduced in the 18th century. Granulating machines with toothed rollers cut the press cake into pieces. After it was corned, the remaining dust was removed by tumbling the powder in gauze-covered revolving cylinders.  The powder was dried normally by heating of steam pipes and traditionally packed in oak barrels and kegs of various sizes. Most powder mills had their own cooperage and this employed a large proportion of the workforce. For transport within factories, punts were used on millstreams wherever possible and tramways were laid to connect the different buildings, with the trams pulled by horses or pushed by workmen. Gunpowder was stored in factory magazines while awaiting despatch. There was a considerable coastal traffic in gunpowder for which the Government and several private firms like Harrison and Ainsley maintained their own fleets of sailing barges. Minor accidents were commonplace and most mills would experience a fatal explosion occasionally. Fortunately, the number of casualties was not usually large in comparison, for example, with mining disasters, but details are invariably gruesome. At Melfort in 1867 for example, an explosion took place resulting in the total destruction of the powder works as recorded in the "Oban Times" of 9 March. This article tells of a bale of cloth being thrown from the last building to a distance of about a mile and many of the windows in the houses were smashed by the concussion of air.  Inevitably automation and the development of dynamite brought about the decline of the works. Now some 120 years later and housed in the old buildings the Melfort Club flourishes. The names of the cottages reflect their function within the framework of the old gunpowder village. The ruins and the lade along the banks of the River Oude along with certain remnants of the tramway which ran from the village to the pier at Fearnach Bay complete the picture. The very existence of the Melfort Club in its present form ensures that the illustrious history and the uniqueness of the Melfort village will be preserved for many generations to come.  There were also other Gunpowder Works besides Melfort in Argyll at  Furness on Loch Fyne, Milhouse/Kames and Glen Lean near Sandbank.

Our return journey was back along the same track, but this did not prevent us from discovering new interest. Along the path which leads up steps to Fairy Hill, and in a sheltered position we discovered this Wild Strawberry, our first flowering plant of the year.  Back at the picnic bench we took another look west down Loch Melfort and took in the beautiful view for a second time.

Continuing our walk back we were still in search of two other target species for this conifer forest, Siskin and Goldcrest. However we were not to be disappointed as a flock of Siskin could be heard chattering as they moved through the trees, searching for food. We eventually had glimpses of them high in the Larches whilst two Goldcrest were also close by, given away by their thin piping calls, whilst they fed on small insects amongst the conifers.

 

Our final discovery was on a small Willow at the side of the loch where several lichen species were all providing easy photographic opportunities.  The first two (shown below) are Degelia plumbea (with its orangey red centre) and Degelia atlantica both indicative of Atlantic woodland.

A further two species were added Usnea cornuta and Leptogium cyanescens also further indicators of the unpolluted quality of the air here on the west coast of Scotland.

Returning to our cars we all felt this walk had been good value for money with not only interesting natural history but also the local history at Melfort.

by Richard Wesley

Photos Copyright of Seil Natural History Group

Website :- SNHG Website

As we assembled at Cuan waiting for the ferry to take us over to Luing, I’m sure we were all wondering whether the conditions were going to be kind to us after the very stormy night we had just experienced. Our numbers had been depleted by cancellations following the weather forecast and the overnight heavy rain and wind. However after arriving at Cullipool the clouds had lifted and the wind dropped, as we met our guide for the walk, Anya Lamont. The Gods were with us !!

We proceeded to walk south along a farm track opposite the Luing Stores and soon saw five Greylag Geese in a field off to our left and a flock of about sixteen Meadow Pipit. Continuing south we arrived at the locally named Pond Island (Fraoch Eilean which should be Heather Island). We were to learn that the channel behind this island had been dammed either end and was used to store lobsters ready to be sold when the price was right, hence Pond Island.

As we moved south along the shore the going was rather difficult and I found myself grabbing the heather on the rocks above me for support. Mingled together with heather was a lichen named Cladonia portentosa (Reindeer Lichen) one which grows low on the ground. To our right a Shelduck flew past us and in the distance a group of eight Red-breasted Mergansers were diving for fish. There were also several Grey Herons patiently awaiting their opportunity.

Further along the coast we were surprised as we flushed a Jack Snipe close by, which flew low for a short distance and then settled again into the undergrowth. This was repeated again as we disturbed another bird and the same result followed. Out to sea on a small skerry we counted at least eighteen Shag drying their feathers after fishing this area, which obviously had good supply of food.

We dropped down into a small bay where there was a good selection of seaweeds and we managed to identify Knotted wrack, Channelled wrack, and Spiral wrack. Knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) is a common brown seaweed which grows on sheltered rocky shores all around Britain. However the very distinctive free-living variant Mackaii has a very limited distribution, occurring in Scotland, some sites in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The main British (and world) populations are confined to extremely sheltered shores on the west coast of Scotland. Anya explained that this free floating seaweed required a brackish situation to survive and this small bay where a burn joined the coast, was the perfect habitat.

No sooner had we absorbed these fascinating facts, than our eyes were taken with the framework of an old boat, long past its sell by date. The frame was barely intact with the bare ribs sticking out like a skeleton, only held together by rivets which had been used on this wood framed hull. It had been named the Golden Chance and the fishing boat had been brought to the shores of Luing some fifty years ago, to be used as a house boat. Unfortunately this did not materialise and the wreck stands as a testament to someone’s romantic folly.  We were now halfway down the coast to Blackmill Bay, when we came across the old slate quarry at Tir nan Og. This mine was worked until the mid 40′s, when it was said a quarryman was killed, which was a fairly unusual occurrence . It might have been thought to have brought bad luck and the quarrying which had been low key, was ceased shortly after. It is still possible to see the pathway and old pier, from which the slate was loaded onto boats to be shipped further up the coast. We also found this perforated rock which looked like  honeycomb, but we were unsure of its origin.

As we crossed several dykes which were formed during the Tertiary period (60 million years old) by the larva flows from the Mull volcano we could see in the distance the Cobblers of Lorn, sheets of acid igneous rocks, which predated the dykes. These rocks are Devonian (400 million years old) and are the result of melting at the base of the crust which had been thickened because of folding and piling up of thrust sheets following the final closure of the Iapetus Ocean and the resultant continental collision which formed the Caledonian mountain chain. This brought us to Blackmill Bay where there is a small settlement of houses and cottages. As we arrived a flock of about 20 Wigeon flew into the bay to add some interest. We had now completed half of our walk and turned north to head back to Cullipool along farm tracks.

The going was now a lot easier along good tracks and our attention was soon diverted to a flock of Curlew, numbering about thirty, which circled and landed again behind some geese. Here there were about eighty geese a mixture of Canada and Greylags. Further along the track we disturbed another group of Greylags totalling approximately 100 accompanied by a single Lapwing and two more Curlew.

The farm track was climbing now with the anticipation of good views and we were not to disappointed, for at the top a panoramic view was set out before us. Colonsay, Jura, Scarba and Lunga lay to the south with Easdale, Seil and Mull to the north interspersed with many small islands. This was a view to be treasured and stored for the future. However we were soon distracted again as a group of half a dozen Skylark moved in front of us and then circled back reminding me that their song can be heard as early as February if the weather is mild.

Our destination lay before us now and we soon reached the car in time to catch the 15.35 hour ferry back to Cuan. My thanks must go to Anya Lamont for making this walk so pleasurable with so many interesting features, one that I will remember for a long time to come.

Next Month’s walk :- Saturday 13^th February 2010 (Loch Oude to Melfort Village).

We parked on the sea-front road towards Ganavan just before the War Memorial at (NM852309).  Waiting for other members to arrive, we looked over the railings and apart from two Mute Swans and an Oystercatcher found three Turnstone searching for invertebrates amongst the rocks and seaweed  Indeed, that is how this industrious wader gets its name, a perennial winter visitor to the shores around Oban, arriving from Greenland or possibly Arctic Canada.  These birds are remarkably tame due the fact that their breeding grounds are normally far from human habitation.  They can be seen in flocks of around thirty in Oban, sometimes feeding within several yards of pedestrians passing by on George Street. 

As we walked towards Dunollie Castle the views to our left took in the northern tip of Kerrera and beyond to the snow covered hills of Mull, an awesome sight.  Within a hundred yards we followed a track off to our right leading away from the road, amongst deciduous woodland. The usual woodland birds were to be found here including Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Wren.

The next feature to greet us on our left was a huge mound of rock topped by several conifer trees. This rock was formed in the Devonian period some 350 to 400 million years ago, when Scotland was nearer the equator than it is today. The deposition of sedimentary rocks washed down desert valleys (wadis) during flooding, into sediment-rich shallow seas, formed what is known as a wadi conglomerate.  Also not to be ignored is Dunollie Castle, a stone 13th century keep and courtyard fortress, built on an old site of the Kings of Dalriada. In the 15th century, a four storey keep was built on to the castle enclosure.

Walking along the track we found mature Beech and Oak trees with some of the expected species of Lichens shown above, Lobaria pulmonaria (Tree Lungwort)  and Lobaria virens (Green Satin Lichen). It was good to see these along a popular walking route so near to the town centre. Also observed were Degelia atlantica (Felt Lichen) and Parmotrema crinitum (Desperate Dan!).  Altogether we recorded a good number of species indicating how pollution-free this area of Lorn is, so close to Oban.

More unexpectedly we found Pertusaria Amara (Bitter Wart Lichen) and a fungi, Hypoxylon fragiforme (Beech Woodwart) growing on a dead piece of Beech shown below.

At the end of the track we turned right through a gate and continued alongside the woodland and to our surprise a Red Squirrel was spotted on a mossy bank inside the wood. Continuing our search for Lichens another expected find was Sticta limbata (Floury sticta) on a tree close to the track.  There were several trees with wind damage, attesting to the severe winds experienced on this west coast. 

Turning left now and wandering into another section of woodland we discovered what for me was the  highlight of the day, two groups of three ladybirds hibernating on a tree trunk. All insects in cold places like Scotland need to find a way of coping with winter, when not only is it cold but there is less around to eat.  Adult ladybirds do this by hibernating.  In this state they can withstand sub-zero temperatures.  They go into suspended animation, their bodies do not develop, they do not eat or move; and must rely on their stored body fat to sustain them until spring.  Their bodily processes slow right down to a 20th of their normal active rate, which helps the body fat last longer. 

Close by we discovered some Ganoderma australe (Southern Bracket fungus) on some decaying tree trunks. . Other common fungi recorded were Trametes versicolor (Turkey tails), Stereum hirsutum (Hairy Curtain Crust) and Xylaria hypoxylon (Candlesnuff fungus).

The fungi attack dead wood and rot parts, which means a huge increase in insect life, which in turn is food for birds and also results in the trees having lots of holes and soft areas for birds to nest.  In a truly natural wood there is a huge amount of dead and rotting timber compared to live healthy trees. Another fascinating discovery was this bird’s nest, sheltered below some bracket fungus, home sweet home !

As we returned down the track to the road a pair of Redwing and a Song Thrush were rooting amongst the grass and leaves looking for food on this desperately cold day.

For  once we were greeted by glorious clear sunny skies, albeit a little cold.  There was a good turn out of fifteen as we headed north along the mainland side of Clachan Sound.  Within four hundred yards we turned right up through a deciduous woodland on a rather steep track, to reach a small burn.  Keeping to the right of this we climbed through the woodland crossing a stile and eventually emerging onto a good track on the top.

We continued north now along a fairly flat track towards the Toad of Lorn.  Over to our left were several small islands,including one named Eilean Dúin or Goat Island as it is known to me, and true to its name there were about twelve wild goats grazing on grass to the left. In front of us now was clearly the "TOAD" with his bulging eyes and wide mouth.

We passed below the "Toad of Lorn" and now headed east towards Dubh Loch. The clear weather had brought out several Common Buzzards and I counted four together at one time soaring off to our left. On the loch were several Tufted Ducks, mostly male with their white wedged shape flanks showing prominently.  One of the group then spotted a Moorhen moving quickly across the water to avoid been seen; this was an unusual sighting as Moorhen are fairly uncommon in this part of Argyll.  There were other birds around the loch including Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Robin, Chaffinch, House Sparrow and Dunnock.

Emerging onto the road opposite Loch Seil we turned right to take us back in the direction of the Tigh an Truish.  However we soon turned off the road again passing Clachan Farm on our right and headed up the hill through a gate. On the telegraph wire to my left a female Reed Bunting sat flicking her tail, and a beautiful Grey Wagtail landed on the track ahead, but I was soon distracted as a  flock of birds moved ahead of us.  There was probably a dozen in total with several other birds feeding close by. They were soon identified as Fieldfare a winter visitor from Scandinavia, with their grey heads and rump.  

We turned off the track now down towards Clachan House and joined the driveway down to the road by Clachan Bridge.  Despite a good five mile walk we had managed to be back at the Tigh an Truish in good time for lunch.

A group of us went to look for waxcaps, earth-tongues and club fungi – the indicator species of unimproved grasslands.  Within an area of about 300 x 100 metres we found 9 kinds of waxcap, which signifies that the site is of "regional importance" according to the scale normally used.  These two are the Snowy Waxcap, one of only two all-white waxcap species, and the Golden Waxcap, which is very sticky on top.

The very slimy Heath Waxcap, recognisable by its glutinous gill edges, and the Scarlet Waxcap, which also has a slimy cap, sometimes, but not always, yellow-edged as here.

The Honey Waxcap, which smells of honey, and the Meadow Waxcap, one of the larger species, easily recognised by its whitish stem contrasting with the pastry-coloured cap.

The Parrot Waxcap is the only species with any green colouring.  The amount of green varies and is greater on young specimens.  Both cap and stem are very slimy; you can see the glutinous layer on the edge of the cap in the photo.  The greyish one is Hygrocybe lacmus, I think, but am awaiting expert determination.  It was out of the ground and the stem base could not be located, so H flavipes can’t be ruled out.  We also found the Crimson Waxcap but I omitted to get a photo of it.

We found two kinds of Earth-tongue.  This is Geoglossum fallax, with a dry surface.  The stem is clearly distinct from the club, the stem being a dark brown colour and the club black.  The stem is covered by a network of hair tufts.

This one is Geoglossum glutinosum, the Sticky Earth-tongue.  The whole thing is covered in a layer of slime which shows well in the close-up picture (the stem is torn in this pic).

We only found one kind of club fungus at our target site, the densely tufted Golden Spindles.  At another site nearby which some of us visited after lunch, we found the Yellow Club Fungus, which occurs in looser clusters.

We tried to concentrate on grassland indicator fungi and ignore all the other intriguing kinds around us, but I did get the camera out for these two, the Saffron Parasol (Cystoderma amianthinum) and a Blackish Puffball with the entire length of its stem fused to an old bracken stem.

Just as a taster of what else is out there, here are a couple of very small species that I’ve had to give up on.  The first were in the layer of moss on top of a rock.  The gills and stem are hairy, but I couldn’t get a spore print.  The second looks like an Omphalina, but there was no lichenised material around its base, and the stem base is remarkably bulbous.  The picture was taken at home.  Again no spore print.  I find these tiny delicate mushrooms fascinating but I’d spend a fortnight poring over books and microscopes for every day in the field if I insisted on identifying them all. 

A view of the site.  You can see traces of an old field system in the centre-left.  The land is grazed by sheep and cattle, keeping the turf short, ideal conditions for waxcaps.

Parts of the site had numerous anthills which were completely grown over with moss but had active colonies of the Yellow Meadow Ant inside.  The site we visited after lunch was not so good for waxcaps but we did see this splendid Ground Beetle, Carabus problematicus.

All photos and other content copyright © Carl Farmer

We caught the 10:00 hours ferry from Port Appin and we were soon walking around the coast by ‘The Point’ of Lismore. Looking north-west across to the mainland, mist was hanging low above the water allowing the hills to show themselves. Several Common Seals were close by in the sea inquisitively checking us out. We passed a small pebbly beach at Port Aineainn where a Rowan Tree was full of berries and a Blackthorn bush was growing prostrate over some large rocks of limestone.

We came to Park, a small farm, where we joined a good track heading towards Port Ramsay. After stopping to look at a pair of Lime Kilns we discovered some Red Bartsia at the side of the track. We stopped for a drink and a snack, sitting on some upturned boats looking over to Eilean Ramsay an idyllic spot. As we sat taking in the view, a group of about 30 Ringed Plover landed on a spit extending from the island. There were also several Grey Herons about, giving away the fact that this was also the home for a small heronry. The route now took us past the old white painted cottages at Port Ramsay, which I believe are now mainly holiday lets, then continuing on to Fennachrochan with its group of four or five houses.

As we followed the track by the houses a Stonechat attracted our attention in the scrubland off to the right, chatting away on its visible perch.  Once past the houses we turned south following a footpath down to a bay overlooking the salmon farm which is situated in front of the small island of Eilean Loch Oscair. In the background, across Loch Linnhe on the mainland we could see the vast Glensanda quarry.

After crossing a large ladder stile we past another lime kiln to our right and on the damp stony track ahead, we came across a few patches of Yellow Saxifrage.  Continuing along the coast we came to two ruined cottages, where we had our first glimpse of Castle Coeffin in the distance.  The sea was now close by as we walked along some low cliffs getting nearer to the castle with every step.

To avoid a rather difficult route to the castle we entered a gate and crossed to the track leading to Clachan. This meandered uphill for a while before flattening out and providing a very pleasant walk back to the main road. The Heritage Centre and Café were signed to off to our right in 750 metres and although in the wrong direction, the idea of a hot drink and something tasty to eat was too tempting.

An example of an old crofter’s cottage sits beside the Heritage Centre and gives an interesting insight into the construction and living conditions.  The walls must be four foot thick, with the thatched roof held on by thick ropes.  We sat outside on the balcony of the café and enjoyed our coffee and scones in pleasant September sunshine. The walk was taking longer than expected, so we opted for the 18:35 hours ferry so we were able to take our time walking back along the road to the ferry at ‘The Point’.

The Parish Church at Clachan probably stands on the original site of the historic Cathedral Church of St Moluag’s,. whilst in the field opposite lies the ancient Sanctuary Stone. Continuing back along the road north to the ferry we recorded several plants in the roadside verges including Angelica,  Meadow Cranesbill, Autumn Hawkbit, Hogweed, Prickly Sowthistle, Bush Vetch, Ox-eye Daisy, Ragged Robin, Red Campion, Nipplewort, Pignut and Tuberous Comfrey to name but a few.

The road north affords excellent views in all directions and it was a pleasure completing our walk back to ‘The Point’ and our ferry back to Port Appin.  We arrived back in plenty of time to catch the 18:35 hours boat back across the short distance to our starting point at the Pierhouse Restaurant. The walk had been a distance of eight miles but with all the wonderful distractions it had seemed a lot shorter.

Richard Wesley – Seil Natural History Group

SNHG Website :- http://seilnature.spaces.live.com/

We caught the 10:00 hours ferry from Port Appin and we were soon walking around the coast by ‘The Point’ of Lismore. Looking north-west across to the mainland, mist was hanging low above the water allowing the hills to show themselves. Several Common Seals were close by in the sea inquisitively checking us out. We passed a small pebbly beach at Port Aineainn where a Rowan Tree was full of berries and a Blackthorn bush was growing prostrate over some large rocks of limestone.

We came to Park, a small farm, where we joined a good track heading towards Port Ramsay. After stopping to look at a pair of Lime Kilns we discovered some Red Bartsia at the side of the track. We stopped for a drink and a snack, sitting on some upturned boats looking over to Eilean Ramsay an idyllic spot. As we sat taking in the view, a group of about 30 Ringed Plover landed on a spit extending from the island. There were also several Grey Herons about, giving away the fact that this was also the home for a small heronry. The route now took us past the old white painted cottages at Port Ramsay, which I believe are now mainly holiday lets, then continuing on to Fennachrochan with its group of four or five houses.

As we followed the track by the houses a Stonechat attracted our attention in the scrubland off to the right, chatting away on its visible perch.  Once past the houses we turned south following a footpath down to a bay overlooking the salmon farm which is situated in front of the small island of Eilean Loch Oscair. In the background, across Loch Linnhe on the mainland we could see the vast Glensanda quarry.

After crossing a large ladder stile we past another lime kiln to our right and on the damp stony track ahead, we came across a few patches of Yellow Saxifrage.  Continuing along the coast we came to two ruined cottages, where we had our first glimpse of Castle Coeffin in the distance.  The sea was now close by as we walked along some low cliffs getting nearer to the castle with every step.

To avoid a rather difficult route to the castle we entered a gate and crossed to the track leading to Clachan. This meandered uphill for a while before flattening out and providing a very pleasant walk back to the main road. The Heritage Centre and Café were signed to off to our right in 750 metres and although in the wrong direction, the idea of a hot drink and something tasty to eat was too tempting.

An example of an old crofter’s cottage sits beside the Heritage Centre and gives an interesting insight into the construction and living conditions.  The walls must be four foot thick, with the thatched roof held on by thick ropes.  We sat outside on the balcony of the café and enjoyed our coffee and scones in pleasant September sunshine. The walk was taking longer than expected, so we opted for the 18:35 hours ferry so we were able to take our time walking back along the road to the ferry at ‘The Point’.

The Parish Church at Clachan probably stands on the original site of the historic Cathedral Church of St Moluag’s,. whilst in the field opposite lies the ancient Sanctuary Stone. Continuing back along the road north to the ferry we recorded several plants in the roadside verges including Angelica,  Meadow Cranesbill, Autumn Hawkbit, Hogweed, Prickly Sowthistle, Bush Vetch, Ox-eye Daisy, Ragged Robin, Red Campion, Nipplewort, Pignut and Tuberous Comfrey to name but a few.

The road north affords excellent views in all directions and it was a pleasure completing our walk back to ‘The Point’ and our ferry back to Port Appin.  We arrived back in plenty of time to catch the 18:35 hours boat back across the short distance to our starting point at the Pierhouse Restaurant. The walk had been a distance of eight miles but with all the wonderful distractions it had seemed a lot shorter.

Richard Wesley – Seil Natural History Group

SNHG Website :- http://seilnature.spaces.live.com/

This month’s Seil Natural History Group midweek recording walk took us to Glencruitten House Woods, an area of mostly coniferous plantation of which there are plans to manage in a more nature-friendly way.

Thanks to the wet weather the mushroom season has started early, and we spent much our time foraging among the fungi.  These two are Russula species.  The red one may well be Russula emetica.  The purple one is past its best and probably not possible to identify.

This handsome brown mushroom the colour of polished furniture is Tricholoma fulvum, growing under Birch and known as the Birch Knight.  Thanks to Geoffrey Kibby for the ID.  The young one on the right is also associated with Birch; it’s the Brown Birch Bolete, Leccinum scabrum.  The mosses at its base are Polytrichum formosum (probably) and Thuidium tamariscinum.  This Bolete was one of the commonest mushrooms in the woods; we found it in several places.

Tricholomopsis rutilans, or Plums and Custard, growing on an old stump, and the False Chanterelle, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, on another.

The Wrinkled Club Fungus, Clavulina rugosa, and its close relative the Crested Coral Fungus, Clavulina coralloides, both formed extensive patches on the gloomy Spruce floor.

The dark forest depths also had Micromphale perforans, which is fruiting abundantly in Spruce forests across Argyll at present.  It forms large troops but the individual mushrooms are small, the caps mostly no more than 1 cm across.  Each stem is densely covered with short dark hairs and attached to a dead spruce needle.  On an altogether different scale are these chunky Lactarius deterrimus with their remarkable orange and green colouration, not easy to capture at such low light levels.

We found two conspicuous slime moulds, both showing signs of having been battered by heavy rain.  I think the first may be young Lycogala terrestre (Wolf’s Milk).  Thanks to Malcolm Storey for nudging me in the right direction.  The second is unmistakable, the orange-pink Tubifera ferruginosa, made up of tiny tubes packed together.

While we admired Oban Bay from one of the forest’s high viewpoints, I took this picture of a Heather Fly (Bibio pomonae) feeding on Heather pollen.  It plays a major part in pollinating the heather plants, so both benefit from the relationship.  It’s similar to the St Mark’s Fly (Bibio marci) which is so common in the Spring, but the Heather Fly has the top part of its leg red, as can be seen in the photo. This Ruby Tiger caterpillar was walking across the path, perhaps looking for something to fatten itself up on before hibernation.  They eat a wide range of common plants.

Below is the panorama of Oban from the viewpoint and to the left is Angel Wings (Pleurotus porrigens) which was found on our way back to the car park.

Carl Farmer and Richard Wesley